Amazed by Jesus

Jesus has announced the radical new availability of the Kingdom, and painted a picture of what new life looks like in His Kingdom. We can enter the Kingdom by following Jesus. His original hearers were “astonished” but the vast majority did not become disciples. We can avoid discipleship by avoiding Jesus, by making up our own Jesus, or by treating his words as religious entertainment. As disciples, we should regularly and intentionally encounter Jesus, be astonished, confronted, convicted, surprised and CHANGED by Him. He is the the authority.

Astonished at the Circus

A few weeks ago we went to the circus up here by the outlet malls. They don’t do elephants and lions anymore… it’s dogs. Poodles.

And… super entertaining. These dogs are jumping and dancing, and doing back flips.

Pretty amazing.

Ready for the face of astonishment?

A good and wonderful experience.

Did it change my life?

Not so much. Fun! Astonishing! And then we went home.

You want to see something that changed my life?

I have three people leaving this week. One to get married, two on Paternity leave.

One just got back from paternity leave this last week. He’s a pretty calm dude, but...

Okay, he WAS a pretty calm dude :D. His life is radically and FOREVER altered. Sleep is a fond memory, feeding and crying and waking and sleeping and life now completely revolves around this tiny terrorist.

Life will never be the same.

Sermon on the Mount: In 5 minutes or less

Ready?

Announcement! The Kingdom is here and RADICALLY available to you. Even if you’re poor, or mourning, or hungry, or persecuted, or any other such thing.

The Kingdom is a radical new life, a new light in the world… and it fulfills all the Law. It is a new incredible righteousness.

It is life free from anger. Free from destructive lust, free from relational abuse and verbal manipulation.

It is life where words are true and gifts are eagerly given, where even enemies are loved.

It is radical and secret generosity, beautiful intimacy with the Father, feasting on His provision, treasuring well and rightly.

It is life free from judgment and condemnation, given or received, it is the beautiful ask, honoring God-given freedom… loving others well.

Few find this righteousness, this Kingdom… it’s only found in King Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

After all that He has said… can you imagine being in that crowd?

Matthew 7:28–29 ESV

28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

Astonished

AMAZED! Astounded. SHOCKED! Dumbfounded!

They “Marveled” at him.

And… of course they marveled at him! What he has to say is amazing, astonishing, powerful. All the things! And it isn’t just the content, apparently the manner in which he said it was astounding!

“As one who had authority.”

So not like I do. “I think...” or “I read…” or “I interpret it this way...” Jesus is definitive. He IS the Word, He IS the King, He defines the Kingdom.

So he describes “the way it is” like an author writing the story. It is by definition the way He says it is. Life works the way the Maker of Life says it to be.

This is the WORD that in whom, for whom, through whom all things were created. That is the authority they are hearing.

And this Jesus is who we are all about.

I’ve been obsessing lately to really understand what “discipleship” really is. If we are going to be “all about” discipleship, we have to understand what it really is.

So let’s take it from the opposite direction. What if we wanted to completely AVOID discipling ourselves to Jesus. How would we do that?

Build-Your-Own Jesus

In Talledega Nights race car driver “Ricky Bobby” has a mildly heretical prayer… that I think reveals many people’s approach to Jesus.

'Dear Tiny Jesus, in your golden fleece diapers with your tiny, little fat balled up fists...Look, I like the baby version the best, do you hear me?...

'OK. Dear Eight Pound, Six Ounce, Newborn Infant Jesus, don't even know a word yet, just a little infant, so cuddly, but still omnipotent.

One strategy to avoid being challenged or astonished by Jesus… just make your own! Just about everyone has an opinion about Jesus. Whether they just know the Golden Rule or “it’s just love, man...” or something about the cross… it’s hard to avoid forming some kind of opinion about Jesus in the modern world.

It’s ultimately, eternally, impossible to avoid forming an opinion about Jesus. One day, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.

But people have a caricature of Jesus… and it is likely one that backs up their worldview, their politics, their preferences.

And, oh by the way, Christians aren’t exempt. One possible explanation for the ridiculous multitude of church’s claiming Jesus is people seeking a Jesus made in their image.

If your God never disagrees with you, you might be worshiping an idealized version of yourself. – Tim Keller

If you are encountering the real Jesus… prepare to be ASTONISHED! Prepare to be amazed! Challenged, dumbfounded… FREAKED OUT!

Lucy asks, "Is He safe?"

"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."

… "He's wild, you know. Not like a tame lion."

He’s not safe. He’s WILD!

If you encounter Jesus, the real Jesus, Jesus in the Scripture, the living Jesus, His Spirit here where his people are gathered… you will be astounded!

If you have been sleeping, content, un-confronted, comfortable for too long, you may not be listening!

It isn’t safe. But he is good.

Question: how often are you astonished by Jesus? For reals? How often are you surprised by what He said or did? What he says or does?

If the answer is “never” or “rarely”… you might be avoiding the real Jesus in favor of an idol.

Reactions to Jesus

Some came for the circus.

Some came for a fight.

Some came for new life.

Think of all the people gathered there to hear this sermon. We don’t know how many on that day, but at many occasions there were thousands of people.

And… I think “amazed and astounded” was a standard reaction initially… but what is the reaction after that?

Many, most, marveled and were amazed… and then went home. Religious entertainment once again. Foolish and a HUGE waste of time, Jesus calls that.

Others were confronted and challenged… and fought back. Argued with Jesus, called him out, how DARE you assume that kind of authority, who do you think you are???? Fundamentally confused about who Jesus really is, refusing to accept Him as King, as Lord.

But a few recognized that they were hearing the words of life. They left everything, turned over everything, and they followed.

And those few changed the world.

They beheld Jesus. They were amazed and astonished. And they were transformed.

Behold Jesus

Saul was one of those who fought against the authority of Jesus, condemned him and his followers to the point of persecuting and helping kill them.

And then, the resurrected Jesus appeared to him WHILE he was on his way to hunt down more of his disciples.

Saul “beheld” Jesus… and was changed by him. And he writes these words to the church he helped plant in the city of Corinth:

2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV

18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

This is what we do here. We, together, “behold” Jesus. We hear his Word and we meditate on it. We seek His face, we experience his Spirit, we walk in His footsteps… and we are actively being transformed by it.

From one degree of glory to another. Literally there “from glory to glory.”

This is what discipleship is all about. This is what Church is, called out to do this together, on mission as His disciples.

Jesus has announced the radical new availability of the Kingdom, and painted a picture of what new life looks like in His Kingdom. We can enter the Kingdom by following Jesus. His original hearers were “astonished” but the vast majority did not become disciples.

We can avoid discipleship by avoiding Jesus, by making up our own Jesus, or by treating his words as religious entertainment. As disciples, we should regularly and intentionally encounter Jesus, be astonished, confronted, convicted, surprised and CHANGED by Him. He is the the authority.

So let’s behold Jesus together in worship. Prepare to be astonished.

It isn’t safe. We will be transformed… but He is good.

Matthew 7:24–29 MSG

24 “These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. 25 Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock. 26 “But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. 27 When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.” 28 When Jesus concluded his address, the crowd burst into applause. They had never heard teaching like this. 29 It was apparent that he was living everything he was saying—quite a contrast to their religion teachers! This was the best teaching they had ever heard.